Notions of scale, usability, collectivity and agency play an important role in generating possibilities for technological self-determination in an attempt to imagine computational infrastructures differently. How can we imagine technological attitudes that don't rely on data extractivist models? How do we make space to reconsider the figure of the user? And what if digital tools can be adapted to the specificities of each situation?
With the Digital Solidarity Networks events, we would like to create a conversational space to collectively relearn how digital tools co-shape our everyday life and cultural events.
Digital Solidarity Networks started as a shared listing of tools, practices and readings for digital solidarity, conviviality and togetherness. In March 2020, many of our activities, work and life were suddenly forced into online formats. In response to complex infrastructural dynamics that emerged, we started a collective space on an Etherpad, where we shared materials that we abruptly and urgently wanted to stay close to, even closer than we already were. The set of gathered materials started with free software tools, hosting providers, online cultural initiatives, forms of collective self-help and theoretical readings. Over time, more and more individuals, groups and organisations started to use and edit the pad as a resource for digital mutual aid strategies and online social closeness.
More than one year later, we would like to invite you to join us in carrying forward the conversation around non-extractive software and digital infrastructures.
We are organising 3 public moments for collective relearning in May and June 2021. Each event will depart from the contribution of a guest and we would like to invite you to join us.
- How can we reconfigure digital networks across timelines and communities? Thursday 20 May, 15:00-18:00 CEST, with Dušan Barok
- What are lessons learned from alternative, decentralised or federated infrastructures? Thursday 27 May, 15:00-18:00 CEST, with LURK
- How can we rethink digital infrastructures in terms of capacity and care? Thursday 10 June, 15:00-18:00 CEST, with The Institute for Technology in the Public Interest (TITiPI)
For the third event, we will be joined by TITiPi (Miriyam Aouragh, Seda Gürses, Femke Snelting, Helen Pritchard) who will speak about infrabels.
Infrables make negative use-cases and un-fixing bug reports as a solidary praxis. They are articulations of what extractive digital infrastructures are, and what they are doing. What infrables can we tell to take-down Big Tech narratives and undo their violences? Generated through narrative and extranarrative accounts, infrables identify oppressive infrastructures or tools, but they also make space for other technological attitudes. Over the last months, the emerging Institute for Technology in the Public Institute has been conversing with people experiencing infrastructural shifts, and trying to grasp their implications. Our contribution to the Digital Solidarity Network conversations will be a series of infrabels to be reworked and retold.
Program of the day
15:00 - 15:15 Welcome
15:15 - 15:45 TITiPI presentation
15:45 - 16:00 Q&A
16:00 - 16:15 BREAK
16:15 - 17:15 Collective Relearning
17:15 - 17:30 BREAK
17:30 - 18:00 Discussion
To register, please send an email to info@varia.zone mentioning the name of the event in the subject line.
Date: 10th of June 2021
Time: 15:00-18:00 CEST
Location: https://bbb.constantvzw.org/b/man-4bu-j5a-hff
Note: This session will be held in English.
This event is made possible with the kind support of the Creative Industries Fund NL.